The South western news. (Dawson, GA.) 188?-1889, 1887-06-29
sHUCK TRoTTER's FOURTH
And How He Observed It-A Gels
ebration Under Difficulties.

his corn on the third of July, wa
lifted into such exultation by hi
mlturing prospects of a good crop
that he decided to hold sort o.
celebration on the Fourth
Throughout the neighborhood Of
Lick Skillet" Shuck enjoys thai
peculiar leadership which certain
oddities of character frequently
grant man who lives in a back
woods community. Those oddities,
however, are never of an intellect.
ual sort, for in Shuck's neighbor,
hood, a characteristic that is pure
~ mental is always regarded as a
weakness, while a certain ''prank>
ishness." particularly an ability to
jump higher and dance faster than
any other man is italicized distinc-
ton.
The celebration at Shuck's house
can doubtless be given most appro-
priately, and l am certain most en-
tertainingly, in the exact words of
Zeb Finch, the brown jeans beau
of the Lick Skillet" helghbor-
hood:
When Shuck come over whar |
wuz er cleanin' up some new
ground fur er turnip patch, said
Zeb, AN told me er bout the cilly-
bration, | sorter hung fire err bout
goin'; but when he lowed pine
plank that Liza Baker an the Jlm>
ison gals would be thar, l told him
that nothin' but er powerful MKT
ure NV the rheumatic an cramp
collie could keep me er way, an l
meant whut l said, even eff Liza is
fat, an not ez pale ez the most Nv
folks like TO see a gal, Wall, when
ariv at Shuck's house l seed that
all the necessary preparation had
been made. It wuz too hot to stay
i'll the house, so a lot NV cheers an
benches had been put in the yard
under er low, spreadin' mulberry
tree, that give a thick shade. Thar
wuz er right smart sprinklin' NV
folks, / tell you. Ole Uncle Nose
Gayner, that went to the Legisla-
tur last year wuz thar. Uncle Nose
amt much bigger er round then er
hoenandle, an it do peer like that
when natur sot in to makein' his
legs she come mighty nigh not
stoppin' er tall, but in spite NV all
these here drawbacks the ole Teller
has got way Nv smackin' his
mouth when the jug is passed, that
gest nachully keeps him from fall
in into obscurity, ez the preacher
says. Ole Miz Gayner was thar,
too. | don't think l ever seed a
latter woman than she is. Wy,
she's so much thicker then she is
high that when she wants to reach
up on er shelf after any thing she
lays down. The Jimis0n gals wuz
thar sho nutf, au'-ges hoP my hat
somebody, while / think NV her
Miss Liza, bless her fat jaws, wuz
thar bigger'n life, un er average
boss. Don't understan' me to
mean any disrespeck when | com,
par that lovely creetur with er
hoss, fur femme tell you, the hu-
man family Will have to improve
nightly befo' it ketches up with
the boss.
1t mout not peer to lie necessary
to speak about the sizes NV these
folks. but III jest say that weight
had er good deal tc do with the
tallness Nv the capers that wuz cut
that day.
odd Shuck wuz in his glory, an
lowed that the country's birthday
should be cillybrated in err manner
that the neighbors wouldn't soon
furgit.
How you goin' to do it, Shuck?
says l. we KANT do nothin' but
set er round an stuff overselves with
watermilons an SIGH
Don't foo. yo'se'f says he. Pm
goin' to have some 'splosions here
airter while that'll lay all the fire.
crackers an tawpeters you evel
iced in the everlastin' shade. SEE
this takin' er package outen thu
pocket NV his duster. Here's two
pounds Nv the finest blastin' pow
der you ever come er cross. AR
ter we eat an drink err while vel
step out here an bore holes in logs
load 'em up an have the allHredes
bombardment you ever seed. Folk
way oven the creek will think tina
the biggest Fourth NV July thi
country ever seed has lest hee,